In the famous dance routine The Girl Hunt Ballet (11m58s; from Band Wagon 1953: gif shown, above, via tenor) we see Hollywood legends Fred Astaire and the enticing-in-red Cyd Charise dancing a dramatic portrayal of Underworld Crime activities involving glamorous ladies.
Now as you know, Underworld Crime elements and perpetrators are on a deep level represented in Astrology by the Neptune-Pluto combination. Their current cycle began with three Great Conjunction/s in 1891 and 1892 in the degree-range of 7 to 9 Gemini. These conjunctions snug around America's natal Uranus (8Gem55) and this creates a midpoint picture of potentials for 'peculiar discoveries; hypersensitive nerves'; 'a flair for adventurous, unusual, mystical, supernatural experinces', and/or 'unusual catastrophes' (R. Ebertin). With radical Uranus involved, astrologer Michael Munkasey adds: 'unusual means to escape from or change reality; rebellion against artificial pursuits; impersonal attitudes about any destructive or antisocial activities'; and/or 'going to extremes with drugs'. Now since the Neptune-Pluto cycle lasts approximately 492 years, the entire world is stuck with the current cycle until around the year 2384 or so.
Oh and what does Noel Tyl say? Neptune-Pluto = Uranus: 'possibly aberrant behavior; adventurous ego thrust; courage; disruption to gain recognition; making waves to get to shore'.
Hollywood Horoscopes: Astaire and Charise
Now if you take a look at the natal horoscope of Fred Astaire (RR: AA) you'll see his birth name: Frederick Austerlitz, and his data: May 10, 1899 9:16 pm CST Omaha, Nebraska about 7 years after the Neptune-Pluto Conjunction/s. Also follow the link for a few bio details about Fred such as his death from pneumonia on June 22, 1987 4:25 am PDT Century City, California, and his later-in-life second marriage.
And here's the natal horoscope of Cyd Charise (nee Tula Ellice Finklea March 8, 1922 4:30 am CST Amarillo, Texas; RR: AA; brief bio details included) with her Sun @17Pis05, Moon @7Can35 (in 6th house closely conjunct her intense Pluto Rx @7Can58: a bottomless pit of creativity and sex appeal!). Rising is 23Cap03 which makes Saturn her chart-ruler and Mercury @20AQ01 rising in 1st house of Physical Body. As you know, Mercury rules limbs and movement. Notably, Cyd beat a youthful case of polio and rejuvenated herself through dance.
Then Cyd's Midheaven (The Goal and Career Point) @13Scorpio brings in influences from the forceful, even violent planetary pair of Mars and Pluto so we might appreciate her strong performance in The Girl Hunt Ballet even more as a positive expression of Mars-Pluto influences!
Meanwhile, a comparison of Astaire's natal chart with that of Cyd Charise shows their dancing rehearsals were aided by the fact that natal Mars in both charts formed a helpful trine aspect of talent. Other indications of their work activities include Cyd's natal Mars @8Sag34 conjunct Fred's 6th house (of Work) Sun-Mercury combination; her Moon-Pluto Conjunction lands near Fred's 1st house Moon @4Can07 (with the Moon a marker for publicity!), and (as we perhaps see in the crime-riddled dance routine, linked above) Cyd's natal Midheaven ('MC') sports Fred's Mars-Pluto conjunction @8-12Scorpio upon it forming a midpoint picture suggesting that between the two dancers existed 'unusual capabilities of advancement in life' which particularly involved the career and public status (MC) of the very beautiful Cyd Charise.
And one more factor in relation to music and dancing: Fred's asteroid Terpsichore (the orchestrator) in late Gemini denotes his Mercurial lightness and the speediness of his feet while dancing, while Cyd's Terpsichore benefits from its placement in the highly creative, imaginative sign of undulatingPisces, sign of the Two Fishes.
Now obviously, there are other planetary contacts between them for those curious enough to check out their natal charts - some positive, some not so positive - but hopefully this post gives the reader a brief astro-portrait of two legendary dancers shown in their prime by the video segment linked above!
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Catherine_Deneuve_1969.jpg; Catherine Deneuve in The April Fools (1969)
If you wish, why not nab yourself a view of the natal horoscope of French actress and international beauty Catherine Deneuve whose birth data is rated AA for accuracy. Born in Paris, France on October 22, 1943 at 1:35 pm CET as Catherine Fabienne Doleac, her Sun in late Libra--ruled by lovely Venus--shines upon her beauty, while her natal Moon @13Leo57 reveals a youthful, emotional need to perform on stage and screen for the applause and recognition that Leo craves. Coming from an acting family, Deneuve (her mother's maiden name) came by the dramatic urge naturally, made her first film appearance age 12, and in 1992, Miss Deneuve was nominated for an Academy Award for her dramatic role in the film Indochine (link to a 2-minute trailer).
So upon hearing this evening that Catherine Deneuve had suffered a mild stroke in November 2019--thankfully resulting in no motor function damage--I became curious to check out astrological placements of her feminine goddess asteroids, if any. With such beauty and decades of popularity, surely there must be a few, mais oui? Well, imagine my surprise at first glance of her natal chart to discover that the transiting Sun this evening conjoins her natal Ascendant (11Cap08) as I type and so I'm casting a small spotlight her way, it seems!
Now a brief study of Catherine Deneuve's natal chart reveals an emphasis on planetary placements indicating fame and idol worship (rather than on asteroid placements) although it should be noted that Venus-ruled Libra is appropriately represented in the asteroid category by the pleasant feminine duo of Diana (the huntress suggesting her work with animal rights and her animal print fashions), and sexy, poetic Sappho. Natal Mercury and silver-screen planet Neptune are also in artful, creative Libra.
Lady Venus, goddess of love and beauty, is placed in virginal Virgo (sign of the goddess) near Miss Deneuve's natal Chiron with the pair suggesting early pain in love which results in deep wisdom in later years concerning relationships.
Now the dramatic, romantic sign of Leo takes center stage with her Jupiter, planet of acting, placed there along with Moon (the public) conjunct North Node (public contacts: Moon-NN = popularity and success), plus, powerful, passionate Pluto. Perhaps you'll agree that this is quite a Leonine stage full of glamorous thespians!
And since she's sometimes been called the "Ice Queen" for her cool beauty--in similar fashion to another cool beauty, actress Kim Novak, it's interesting to note that Deneuve's asteroid Isis is in the intense, sexy, passionate sign of Scorpio!
As for the feminine archetype that so often makes a cameo of goddess-like proportions here on Neptune's Silver Screen, her asteroid Lilith, the alluring seductress, is placed in the sparkling sign of Gemini which is a charming and Mercurial note on which to close this astro-tribute to the legendary Catherine Deneuve!
A Fond Tribute to Hedy Lamarr through the Lens of Astrology
by Jude Cowell
Have you ever noticed that the actress' screen name 'Lamarr' is 'the Mars', planet of desire? And did you know that Lamarr was half of a duo who made a scientific breakthrough on what they then called frequency hopping and which is now known as spread spectrum? A book Spread Spectrum: Hedy Lamarr and the mobile phone can tell you all about it for she was much 'more than a pretty face', as they say. For after all, Scorpio is a very intelligent, deeply probing sign with often a scientific bent which benefited the war effort via her and George Antheil's invention of a 'secret communications system'. In fact, in recognition of their work in 1941, Lamarr (1914--2000) and Antheil (1900--1959) were inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame in 2014. Though 17 degrees apart, her thinking planet Mercury and action planet Mars are also in Scorpio, you see!
Plus, Lamarr was born under the influence of a major conjunction denoting a facility for deep concentration and hard work: Saturn conjunct Pluto, both at 1 Cancer which is within range of one of the Cardinal Points of Fame, Recognition, Prominence, and Fortune (00Cancer00). And having a 'lucky break' pair like Jupiter conjunct Uranus in Uranian Aquarius was helpful for her, too, and offered her chances for long distance travel. Actually Jupiter-Uranus is the breakthrough pair that all pioneers and inventors wish to have!
Now hers is mainly a Water-drenched chart (lots of Cancer, Scorpio, Pisces) so emotions, moods, insights, and intuition are very much emphasized. Inspired by the softening, creative rays of Lamarr's dreamy, veiling Moon-Neptune conjunction in theatrical Leo, let us turn back toward the Hollywood Hills...
Hedy Lamarr is known as the first woman to appear totally sans clothing on the Silver Screen though this is a dubious distinction according to some folk (moi among them!) so it seems that the concept of being first--of possessing a pioneering spirit--tallies well with the Mars in her name since pioneering, adventurous, even lusty Mars in Astrology is known as the me-first planet, the I AM...the impulse to be...and rules impetuous Aries (the Ram), the first sign in the Tropical Zodiac.
And as you know, her Sun-Mercury-Mars sign of Scorpio is ruled by Mars and sub-ruled by sexy, obsessed, controlling, ravishing Pluto. For Hedy Lamarr, the words sultry and mysterious come easily to mind.
Born November 9, 1914 at 7:30 pm MET in Vienna, Austria (rated A; from memory) with glamorous Lilith in sensual Taurus and Silver Screen Neptune in dramatic, entertaining, romantic Leo conjoined with 'goddess' Luna, the Moon, the natal horoscope of Hedy Lamarr shows this most beautiful Austrian-American actress to be a Moon-ruled creature with Cancer rising and Pisces at Midheaven and very much influenced by nebulous Neptunevia their conjunction. As you know, astrological Neptune (the ancient undersea god in Mythology) is often described as a planet of glamour and illusion, the currency of the Hollywood film industry (and the namesake planet of this tribute blog!) The amount of Water signs in her chart indicates that tears may have been easy for her to conjure on cue, a handy talent for any actress.
Now let's go through her natal planets in their signs to gain perhaps a clearer picture of Hedy Lamarr as a person:
Sun--she was, in her essence, a Scorpio; Moon--she felt and emoted as a self-protective yet nurturing Cancer; Mercury--she thought and communicated intensely as a Scorpio; Venus--she attracted and was attracted by foreign cultures and people, and loved as an adventurous, fun-loving Sagittarian; Mars--she acted as a Scorpio; Jupiter--she related as an Aquarian (friendly?); Saturn--she controlled, organized, worked, and feared as a Cancer; Uranus--she behaved as an Aquarian (aloof? snobbish?); Neptune--she dreamed as a romantic Leo; Pluto--she obsessed as a self-protective, security-anxious Cancer. Her wound or blind spot: Chiron in Pisces which denotes her having a mentor or guru for guidance; her North Node (future direction; public contact) is in creative, compassionate yet escape-prone Pisces, sign of the Two Fish: one swimming up toward spirit and one swimming down into the depths.
Here's a trailer of Hedy Lamarr and Victor Mature starring in director Cecil B. DeMille's 1949 Biblical epic Sampson and Delilah along with a few actors' names you may recognize plus, "a cast of thousands"--and you know that Delilah is another version of the classic archetype of the seductress in the icon-goddess tradition of Lilith-Isis-Venus:
Now I ask you: is there a more perfectly titled film to appear here on Neptune's Silver Screen than Hedy Lamarr starring in The Heavenly Body? The plot of the film involves an astronomer vs astrologer theme with lovely Hedy as the glamorous Lilith in between! William Powell (Sun Leo-Moon Libra) also stars.
Well, perhaps we should end our Hedy Lamarr tribute with a mention of the ongoing enigma of how Hedy Lamarr and British actress Vivien Leigh look so much alike! Here's a photo of Vivien though her natal horoscope will be featured in a later post--probably in tandem with the natal chart of Laurence Olivier (for obvious reasons). What do you think of their resemblance? Close enough for you?
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Content in Public domain; text by author, all rights reserved, social sharing allowed
Image: By Bain News Service (http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/ggbain.32453) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons
Many fans of silent film star Louise Brooks are acquainted with The Louise Brooks Society, an 'homage to silent films' and dedicated to "one of the most seductive...images of woman" to ever appear on film. Naturally astrologers recognize the seductive Lilith archetype here and we will be noting the position of asteroid Lilith and other glamorous archetypes in her natal horoscope, below. We'll check on her asteroid Pandora as well because Louise's most famous role was Lulu in the film Pandora's Box. In her natal chart (below) you'll find asteroid PANDORA @18Libra near her natal Mars and seductress Lilith near her Scorpio Sun along with Persephone, Pluto's unwilling love interest in Greek Mythology!
But first...
News Flash: On the weekend of January 16, 2016 there will be an EPIC Event: Pandora's Box screens at LACMA in Los Angeles, California with pianist Michael Motilla performing improvised scores from five silent films including Pandora's Box on Sunday January 17th. LACMA is the Los Angeles County Museum of Art and Pandora's Box (1929) "depicts the social realities of the Weimar Republic..."
Astrologers may wish to note that there is a natal horoscope for Germany's Weimar Republic: November 9, 1918 13:30 CET Berlin, Germany; 12AQ54 rising; MC 10Sag24; Sun 16Sco18; Moon 19Cap48. (N. Campion chart #125, The Book of World Horoscopes.)
Now when most people recall early Hollywood film star Louise Brooks it's her stylishly bobbed hair ('Prince Valiant') that seems to be best remembered. But here's an informative video on the life of Louise Brooks which begins with a difficult childhood episode that may help account for her seductive adult behavior (Lilith!) though of course she also was a freedom-loving young woman of her era, the Roaring Twenties! For you see, a neighbor molested her when she was nine years old--and her mother blamed Louise:
Also Recommended: a full documentary from BBC Arena (55 minutes) with Louise speaking about her life and films along with narration, film clips, and the story of how James Card of the Eastman Museum in Rochester, New York, rescued a run-down Louise from a New York tenement and made a new life for her possible. Her last years successfully writing articles for various magazines here and abroad may be found via her Mercury-Venus conjunction in Sagittarius, sign of foreign lands, as you'll see.
Update Jan 8, 2016: just found an excellent article about the career of director G. W. Pabst, Opening Pandora's Box. Perhaps you know that G. W. Pabst developed not only the acting talent of Louise Brooks--but also of Greta Garbo!
An Astro-Portrait of Louise Brooks by Jude Cowell
Image: Louise Brooks' natal horoscope set for 'noon' November 14, 1906 Cherryvale, Kansas; Hour of the Sun (21Sco27) with the Moon ranging from 21Libra27 to 6Scorpio49; Luna crossed asteroid Juno (the wife) during the 24-hour period and the Sun approached asteroids Persephone (of kidnapper Pluto and Hades fame), glamorous Lilith, and erotic Eros.
My guess for her would be a Scorpio Moon because of the betrayal vibes it suggests coming from mother (Moon) who, as noted, refused to believe Louise when she told her she'd been molested by a neighbor. The incident was perpetrated via his putting candy on his porch to entice her to his house, if the legend is correct. And looking at a Solar Return chart for her birthday, age 9, (November 14, 1915 using the 'Noon' natal to calculate), we find a crisis-ridden YOD pattern which points toward lusty Mars @18Leo, sign of romance. A YOD times a turning point in her life. There's a dynamic T-Square pointing toward deceptive Neptune Rx in early Leo which indicates that she didn't know what to think of someone or something and that she was 'open to deception' (Tyl) and the planet of shocks and disruption, Uranus, conjoins one of the victim stars, Facies.
To check out her two possible Sun-Moon blends, read on...
As noted, the natal horoscope of Louise Brooks is untimed and is best calculated as either a solar chart (sunrise: career or hero's journey issues) or as a Noon chart with Sun on or near Midheaven (MC), the Why? Point of any chart and the most visible spot (angle) of a horoscope. The MC reveals information about a native's Career, Public Status, and Aspirations in life so it works quite well for famous persons. And the MC is part of the Parental axis, the 4th/10th, so it touches on security and family matters as well.
However, with Brooks' birth time unknown, the following astro-portrait of the lovely Lilith-Venus-Isis-Selena-Pandora-Persephone Hollywood icon Louise Brooks is based on her planets, their signs, degrees, aspects, her Sun-Moon personality blend, feminine asteroids, and her Pre-Natal Eclipse series since house angles cannot be determined with certainty.
Our 'Noon' Astro-Portait of Louise Brooks reveals her Sun @21Scorpio and Moon @28Libra49. However, if born after 1:53 pm, her Moon would have entered brooding, intense Scorpio so let's compare both Sun-Moon personality blends to see if one or the other fits her personality better:
Sun Scorpio-Moon Libra is a misty, ethereal Water-Air combination of conscious (Sun; adult) and unconscious (Moon; child) energies and denotes procrastination, impracticality and a lack of strategy in creative fields. Note that in the BBC arena video, above, she states that she was never an actress and had no idea what she was doing--that she was playing herself in her film roles! But when writing she knew what she was doing.
Sun Scorpio-Moon Libra keys the sign rulership of Mars-Pluto and Venus. There is an intense magnetic quality and charisma with this combo, a pragmatic idealism, and a tendency toward expensive taste. Quietly ambitious, this blend describes one who can be charmingly cooperative and/or emotionally difficult and demanding. This is the "tough cookie" combo yet with a deep need to be liked--one who may say No when she means Yes, and Yes when she means No--and is not loved by everyone! (She wasn't--ex: fellow actor Richard Arlen.)
Perhaps some people objected to a tendency to use manipulative tactics when she was feeling insecure, or an assumption that she was being fair and impartial (Libra words) when emotional needs were dictating her behavior. Whatever reason some contemporaries formed a dislike of her, I belatedly remind them that much of her acting career occurred she was in her teens and then her 20s--and they were the adults in the room, and jealous of her looks and talent, I suspect! Anyway, Louise was perceptive, romantic, and had the happy ability to think on her feet; passion and charm combine engagingly with Sun Scorpio-Moon Libra the Moon sign of Libra describes her reigning need (Tyl) which is all things Libra (Venus) including love, fairness, relationships, harmony, beautiful possessions, pleasure, and fun.
Or Was Her Moon in Scorpio, Ruled by Mars w/ Pluto undertones and drives?
Sun Scorpio-Moon Scorpio is quite a more intense, even brooding, blend of double Water energies. This denotes one who 'drinks in life's experiences' and 'goes with the flow' most of the time. A fertile imagination and a tendency to tear up over sentiments and anything nostalgic is typical with Water-Water blends.
The wary, private Sun Scorpio-Moon Scorpio blend is self-possessed and indicates many passionate feelings, stubbornness, strong convictions, stamina, and drive. The Arts and in particular, Music, attract. This is the 'desire vs self-control' mix that can turn possessive, jealous, sarcastic, and vengeful. Imaginative, willful, and introspective, Sun Scorpio-Moon Scorpio is not a good loser and is unconsciously drawn to powerful, hidden, mysterious things; a fascination with horror stories, sex, and death may be evident. (Her characters in at least two of her movies I've seen were killed at the end including 'Lulu' in Pandora's Box--imagine my surprise to find Lulu with London's Jack the Ripper!
Actually, double Scorpio is the 'addicted to love' combo with strong desires and deep creative potential which can be limited by a cynical and suspicious nature. The reigning need of a Scorpio Moon reveals more sexy desires and perhaps a death wish on a deep level. However, control is part of the Scorpio picture along with investment, money, and perhaps occult pursuits.
So what do you think? Do you see Louise Brooks as an airier Libra on the emotional level, rather aloof, or, an intense, dark, brooding, passionate Scorpio with black eyes and black hair?Her smoldering screen image suggests a Scorpio Moon yet artistic, cool Libra works, too!
As for her solar Scorpio personality and essence, there is not one major applying aspect to her Sun to tell us something more about her. There is, however, a close applying (1A51) inconjunct (aka, a quincunx; 150 degrees; adjustment) between natal Sun and her Gemini Pluto Rx (sub-ruler of Scorpio) identifying Louise as one who carried deep feelings of guilt and shame (from age 9?) and who overreacted to the expectations of others, then felt bitterly resentful about it.
A deep need for the approval of others is suggested by a Sun-Pluto inconjunct as she fought with other people's wills in a head-strong way. Perhaps maturity brought relief from conflicts which were more easily avoided or resolved by walking away from the film industry and learning how to relax. Unfortunately, negative escapism (alcohol) numbed her feelings until later in her life when she was rescued from a New York tenement (see documentary, above) and given new purpose via a writing career (her natal Jupiter arose with Castor, one of the writer's stars; happy Jupiter rules finances).
You know, there's a collection of her writings, Lulu in Hollywood (expanded edition), if you're curious.
Eclipses: the 'Wild Cards of the Universe'
Manifesting every 18.6 years of her life, her Pre-Natal Solar Eclipse Saros Series (PE) @26Leo04 in the 17 New North series sextiles Pluto, planet of sex, wealth, and transformation. Themes and influences of 17 New North include passion, excitement, impulsive energy, and hectic socializing. Motivations include both financial projects and social relationships with a motto of'have fun!'. (paraphrasing B. Brady's Predictive Astrology). Such themes blended perfectly with her Roaring Twenties lifestyle of champaign and dance. (The 'wild card' reputation of eclipses comes from the Uranian quality of bringing disruption, excitement, and sometimes shock to one's life). 17NN last manifested in November 2014 @00Scorpio which is possibly the degree of her natal Moon!
Conjoining her eclipse degree of 26 Leo at birth is her natal Mars-Neptune midpoint where the energies of the planet of males and desire (Mars) blends with Neptune, planet of illusion, dreams, and the Silver Screen. And there we see her Jupiter-Neptune conjunction in Moon-ruled Cancer adding magnetic appeal with the public (Moon/Cancer) and the ability to play many roles by taking on the characteristics of others. Plus, Neptune @12Cancer conjoins bright SIRIUS, the goddess star of Egypt, aka, 'the scorcher' (which I neglected to mark upon the chart).
Of interest is a Huffington Post article from November 2013, Louise Brooks' Star Shines Brighter Than Ever, an obvious and very appropriate reference to SIRIUS, the brightest star in the heavens, conjunct her natal Neptune, glamorous planet of actors and the Silver Screen which also happens to conjoin her expansive planet Jupiter the Thespian!
Well, that's my Astro-Portrait of Louise Brooks for now. Once my order of the Barry Paris biography using her letters and diaries arrives on my doorstep, this post may require updating but for now, you may wish to enjoy another article concerning the natal chart of Louise Brooks with a listing of her natal planets and their aspects.
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Recommended: Sun Sign-Moon Sign by Charles and Suzi Harvey; Louise Brooks horoscope calculated using SolarFire Gold v9 software. jc
